Apple working on “iGroups” social media application

Apple Inc. has filed documents with the United States Patent and Trademark Office that show the Cupertino company is working on a social media app for the iPhone called “iGroups.”

This is Apple’s fourth patent application related to social media that has become public this year, according to Patently Apple, a Web site that follows Apple patent applications.

The documents filed Thursday with the Patent Office show Apple is working on technology that would let iPhone users who are in the same meeting or event form a group through a secured network and to stay connected.

“During private or public events (e.g., concert, tradeshows, business meetings, weddings, rallies), a typical individual may have many brief contacts with individuals for which they would like to have further correspondence post event,” according to the filing.

“With conventional social network websites, the individual would have to collect personal information from the contacts, manually create a social network on the social network website and invite the contacts to join.”